From Carnegie Hall to Wagner Noel, Elliott Forrest returns to Midland

Published 6:00 am, Thursday, August 27, 2015

Forrest, left, and singer Susan Graham attended Lee High School before graduating to widespread fame with his broadcasting and her opera work.

Forrest, left, and singer Susan Graham attended Lee High School before graduating to widespread fame with his broadcasting and her opera work.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

From Carnegie Hall to Wagner Noel, Elliott Forrest returns to Midland

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Although not an opera singer, Elliott Forrest will be a crucial part of Saturday's Standing Ovation concert at the Wagner Noel. The homecoming concert will feature West Texas opera singers who have gone on to notable professional careers. Hosted by the Midland Opera Theater, the concert needed a steward through the show and Forrest was their man.

The Peabody winning producer and broadcaster is currently heard on WQXR, Classical 105.9FM in New York City, but his career has branched well beyond from the microphone. He's produced musicals and grand symphonic concerts, interviewed A-list celebrities and was nominated for Emmy awards for his work on the A&E network as a host. He is also the artistic director of the nonprofit ArtsRock, a professional arts and cultural company in Rockland County in New York.

In short, Forrest is a big deal.

While packing on his flight to Midland, Forrest (née Gould) talked about his West Texas roots, the Texas Mafia in New York and the first thing he'll do when he returns home.

MRT: What prompted you to come back to Midland for this show?

Forrest: I'm happy to help raise money for the arts even in my hometown. I was glad when Susan [Graham] signed on. She's someone I've known since our Lee High School days. To both come back and share the stage, which we've done in New York, what's not to love?

Plus, it's a great opportunity to spend time with my father.

MRT: We know what everyone else will bring to the show, what will we see from you?

Forrest: I've become sort of the Ed Sullivan of classical music and so I get to basically be "Here's someone really great!" I'll be as entertaining and humorous as possible, but I love doing this. I've done more than 60 concerts at Carnegie Hall so that experience helps. But I'll put the audience at ease and just have a good time. I learned as a Pickwick that audiences want you to do well.

MRT: You were in Pickwicks?

Forrest: Yes, I was there under Ed Graczyk. I was certain there was a children's theater but he had named it Pickwick Players and raised it to a new level. But there I often felt like I was being judged when I learned that the audiences want to enjoy their time and thus want us to do well.

MRT: So did you know early on you wanted to be in entertainment?

Forrest: My first job in Midland was at a gas station and I knew I didn't want to do that. I walked into KMID and asked if they needed anybody. I was in high school and then I found I was making money in TV and radio and I never looked back.

MRT: What of West Texas do you think you have kept with you?

Forrest: A big part of it stays with me. When I think of West Texas, a sense of calm comes over me. There's a simplicity I miss amid the hustle and bustle of being in a New York subway.

MRT: Is there an automatic kinship when you come across someone else from West Texas making it big?

Forrest: There is a Texas Mafia in New York. We stick together. I’ve known [screenwriter and director] Doug McGrath since junior high and we continue to communicate, mostly through email. I chat with Susan on Facebook. I ran into Tommy Tune who is a legend on Broadway and we chatted. There's definitely a kinship and understanding among us.

MRT: Do you know the first thing you'll do when you get here?

Forrest: I'll have some Mexican food. And then some barbecue. But in moderation of course.